Cottonwood (ne)

Cottonwood Recreation Area is located just downstream of Gavins Point Dam and Lewis & Clark Lake, along the western shore of Lake Yankton. Lewis & Clark Lake is 31,400 acres with more than 90 miles of shoreline, impounded by Gavins Point Dam, and the numerous outdoor recreational opportunities attract more than 2 million visitors annually, making it one of the most popular recreation destinations in the Upper Great Plains. All 77 campsites have electric hookups, and all sites are reservable. Two modern shower houses with flush toilets are available for campers. A playground, horseshoe pits and picnic shelter are within the campground, and the adjacent day-use area has a large reservable picnic shelter, picnic area, accessible fishing dock, disc golf course and a boat ramp for access to Lake Yankton. An RV dump station is located just north of the campground off Toe Road. Lewis and Clark Lake is known for great boating, sailing, swimming and other water-based recreation, while Lake Yankton is popular with families as a fishing spot and for excellent kayaking, canoeing and paddling. Recreation opportunities around the lakes include camping, fishing, hunting, hiking, boating, sailing, swimming, bird-watching and photography, and wintertime activities include ice fishing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and sledding. Three trails serve bikers and hikers: a paved trail that runs from Yankton to the Gavins Point area, a multi-use trail in the Gavins Point area, and the Calumet Bluff hiking trail near the visitor center. Nearby Training Dike Day-Use Area has a popular swimming beach on Lake Yankton along with access to the Missouri River downstream of Gavins Point Dam. Cottonwood sits in the lush, golden chalkstone-lined Missouri River Valley. Many visitors prefer to stay here because of the calmer, quieter waters of Lake Yankton, a much smaller lake of approximately 250 acres, versus the much larger Lewis and Clark Lake upstream of the dam. Lake Yankton provides excellent habitat for a variety of waterfowl and other bird species, and the area abounds with wildlife including whitetail deer, turkeys and other game species. Bald eagles and other birds of prey are spotted regularly thanks to the great fishing available year-round. The Lewis and Clark Visitor Center contains exhibits on the Missouri River and area history, including the Lewis and Clark Expedition, with stunning views of the lake and the Missouri River. Also nearby are the Gavins Point National Fish Hatchery and Aquarium, the town of Yankton, South Dakota — the historic capital of the Dakota Territory — and the Missouri National Recreational River, located both upstream and downstream of Lewis and Clark Lake.